There are those that copy. And those that innovate. Alex Vassallo is an innovator.

This clever man originally trained as a cryogenics engineer and he uses this expertise, plus his experience as a technical diver to invent ingenious equipment for advanced and technical divers.

One of his latest creations is the (patent pending) Custom Divers Accessory Retainer.

I have had one secured to a strap on my work bag for a couple of years now, and I have found it to be quite an invaluable D ring. I have hooked the handle of an empty travel mug through the ring or temporarily clipped items to it.

As a matter of course I have a LITEBUCK strapped to it, because you never know when you will need a tiny emergency light. (The modern day version of Lady Galadriel’s light.) This very small lightweight light can provide low level illumination for about 100 hours.

The Custom Divers Accessory Retainer (£9.00) appeals to me because it is so easy to fit. Just weave the webbing through the slots on the retainer and fix it in place with the bungee. I then added a Custom Divers D Ring shackle (£8.00) by placing the D ring appropriately, and then threading the securing bar through the D Ring hole, behind the webbing and then screwing it into place through the second D Ring hole. It took me a matter of a few seconds to fit the whole system.

This neat device will be a boon for divers who don’t want to un-thread / re-thread a harness to attach a temporary D Ring. This 316 stainless steel accessory retainer can also be used to secure hoses or torches onto 50mm / 2″ webbing. Simply adjust the bungee to accommodate the size of the accessory.